The wedding cake will be a multi-tiered traditional fruit cake. The cake, which will be decorated with cream and white icing, will have a strong British floral theme using elements of the Joseph Lambeth technique. Fiona was chosen for her creative style and beautifully crafted handmade cakes using traditional British ingredients. Her business, started 25 years ago on her kitchen table, is now based in a state of the art bakery in Leicestershire, the heart of the English countryside.

In addition, the couple have also asked McVitie's Cake Company to create a chocolate biscuit cake for the reception at Buckingham Palace. The chocolate biscuit cake will be made from a Royal Family recipe and was specially requested by Prince William."

3/22/2011

The British Royal Court has released information about the transportation of HRH Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middleton on their wedding day, April 29, 2011.

From the official website about the wedding:

"At the end of their wedding service at Westminster Abbey, Prince William and Miss Middleton will travel in the 1902 State Landau along the Processional Route to Buckingham Palace. In the event of severely wet weather, the couple will travel in The Glass Coach.

There will be five horse-drawn carriages in the Carriage Procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. The first carriage will be the 1902 State Landau or Glass Coach carrying the Bride and the Bridegroom. The second and third carriages will be Ascot Landaus carrying the Best Man, Maid of Honour and Bridesmaids. The fourth carriage will be a Semi-State Landau carrying The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. The fifth carriage will be a Semi-State Landau carrying The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Mr and Mrs Middleton.

The 1902 State Landau, the Glass Coach, the Ascot and Semi-State Landaus are housed at the Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace.

The 1902 State Landau was specifically built for King Edward VII in 1902 and was intended to be used at his Coronation. It is the carriage in most general use at the Royal Mews and is usually used by The Queen to meet Foreign Heads of State when they arrive on State Visits to Britain. The Prince of Wales travelled to St Paul’s Cathedral in the 1902 State Landau for his wedding in 1981, returning in it with The Princess of Wales after the service. The Duke and Duchess of York also used it for their return to Buckingham Palace at their wedding in 1986.

The Glass Coach was built in 1881 and was purchased for use at King George V’s Coronation in 1911. The Glass Coach has carried previous Royal brides to their weddings – Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923, Princess Alexandra in 1963, Princess Anne in 1973, Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 and Miss Sarah Ferguson in 1986. It has also carried the bride and bridegroom from the church, as it did when Princess Elizabeth married The Duke of Edinburgh and again when Princess Anne married Captain Mark Phillips.

There are five Ascot Landaus in the Royal Mews. These carriages are always used for The Queen’s procession up the course at the Royal Ascot Race meeting and also for other visits of an official nature.

There are five Semi State Landaus in service. They have been used for The Queen’s coronation visit to Edinburgh, the Investiture of The Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle, The Queen’s silver Jubilee visits to Glasgow and Cardiff, and on State Visits following the 1902 State Landau. They are also used to transport new High Commissioners of Republics within the Commonwealth when they are received by The Queen.

Further information

Miss Middleton and Prince William will travel separately to the wedding service using State Cars from the Royal Mews. The State Car collection includes two Bentleys, three Rolls-Royces and three Daimlers.

The Processional route from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace runs from Westminster Abbey to Parliament Square and then on to Whitehall, Horse Guards Parade before The Mall to Buckingham Palace.

The Royal Mews is part of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office and is run by the Crown Equerry. The Royal Mews houses 30 carriage horses and has 38 staff including liveried helpers, coachmen, chauffeurs.

There are two breeds of horses at the Royal Mews, Windsor Greys and Bays (the majority of which are Cleveland Bays).

There are over 100 carriages in the collection, although not all of them are kept at Buckingham Palace.

For the Royal Wedding, 14 sides of State Harness will be used with matching appointments for outriders. All the harness requires regular cleaning and polishing which is undertaken by Royal Mews staff in addition to their other duties."

3/21/2011

HSH Princess Antoinette of Monaco, Baroness de Massy, died March 17, 2011. The funeral will take place on March 24 at 10 a.m.

The Princess was the first child and only daughter of TSH Princess Charlotte and Prince Pierre of Monaco, Duchess and Duke of Valentinois, born Count Pierre of Polignac, and reached the age of 90 last December.

Princess Antoinette married 3 times, first to Alexandre Noghès, with whom she has 3 children, Elisabeth-Anne, Christian and Christine, all 3 born out of wedlock, she then married Jean-Charles Rey and finally, she married John Gilpin. All 3 of her children are/were married and have children.

Elisabeth-Anne de Massy first married Baron Bernard Taubert-Natat, with whom she has a son, Baron Jean-Léonard Taubert-Natat. Baron Jean-Léonard is married. After they divorced, she married Nicolai Vladimir Costello, dit de Lusignan with whom she has a daughter, Mélanie.

Christian Louis de Massy first married Maria Marta Quintana y del Carril with whom he has a daughter, Laetizia. Laetizia married Thomas de Brouwer and they have 2 children, Rose and Sylvestre. Christian then married Anne Lütken, they didn't have children together. Christian then married Julia Lakschin. They also divorced without having children. Finally, Christian married Cécile, they have 2 sons, Brice and Antoine. Brice was adopted.

The late Christine de Massy, married first Charles Knecht, they have a son, Keith. Keith is married to Donatella di Guevarra Fabbri and they have 4 children, Christine, Alexia, Vittoria and Andrea. After the divorce, Christine (de Massy) married Leon Leroy. Christine died February 15, 1989.

HRH Princess Margarita of Bourbon-Parma, Countess of Colorno, and Tjalling ten Cate released the first pictures of their newborn daughter, Paola. The pictures include 1 picture of the Princess, Tjalling and Paola, 1 picture of the Princess with both her daughters and 1 picture of the family of 4 together.

The couple were married on May 3, 2008, and their first child, Julia, was born September 3, 2008.

3/16/2011

HRH Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton have created a charitable gift fund to help celebrate their wedding. The fund will focus on assisting charities which support the five causes chosen by the couple. These causes are close to their hearts and reflect the experiences, passions and values of their lives so far. Having been touched by the goodwill shown to them since their engagement, they have asked that anyone wishing to send them a wedding gift consider doing so in the form of a donation to the fund.

3/15/2011

The British Royal Court has confirmed the musicians for the Wedding Service at Westminster Abbey. The wedding of HRH Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middleton takes place on April 29, 2011.

Two choirs, one orchestra and two fanfare teams will perform the music at the Wedding Service of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29th. These are:

• The Choir of Westminster Abbey
• The Chapel Royal Choir
• The London Chamber Orchestra
• The Fanfare Team from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force
• The State Trumpeters of The Household Cavalry

The choirs will be under the direction of Mr James O’Donnell, Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey. The Choir of Westminster Abbey is made up of 20 boys, all of whom attend the Abbey’s dedicated residential Choir School, and 12 professional adult singers, known as Lay Vicars. In addition to singing the daily choral services in the Abbey throughout the year, it plays a central role in the many royal, state and national occasions which take place at the Abbey. The Abbey’s Sub Organist, Robert Quinney, will play the organ.

The Chapel Royal Choir consists of ten Children of the Chapel, boy choristers who hold scholarships at City of London School, and six Gentlemen-in-Ordinary, who are professional singers. The Chapel Royal Choir has existed since at least the Norman Conquest. The Organist, Choir Master and Composer at Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal is Dr. Andrew Gant. The Choir’s duties are to sing the weekly service in the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace and to perform for the Sovereign on other occasions, including at the weddings of members of the Royal Family. The distinctive State uniforms worn by the Children date from the reign of Charles II.

The London Chamber Orchestra will be conducted by Mr Christopher Warren-Green, its Music Director and Principal Conductor. The orchestra will comprise 39 musicians located in the organ loft of the Abbey. The LCO is the longest established professional chamber orchestra in the UK, having been founded in 1921 by Anthony Bernard. HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is a patron of the orchestra. Mr Warren-Green has conducted numerous concerts for the Royal Family.

A Fanfare Team of seven musicians from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force will perform under the direction of Wing Commander Duncan Stubbs. The Central Band was established in 1920 and provides musical support to the Royal Air Force throughout the UK. In addition to their musical duties, Royal Air Force musicians also serve overseas in support of the broader Defence cause.

The State Trumpeters of The Household Cavalry comprises musicians from both The Band of The Life Guards and The Band of The Blues and Royals. The Fanfare Team of eight Trumpeters will be led by Trumpet Major Grant Sewell-Jones of The Band of The Blues and Royals. In addition to their musical duties, all Army Musicians can be called upon to act as individual augmentee soldiers in support of operations across the world.

Both Prince William and Miss Middleton have taken a great deal of interest and care in choosing the music for their Service, which will include a number of well-known hymns and choral works as well as some specially-commissioned pieces.

Following the Wedding Service at Westminster Abbey, Claire Jones, the Official Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales will perform at a Reception hosted by Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

3/11/2011

The Swedish Royal Court has confirmed (via their official website) the attendence of TRH Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, the Duchess and Duke of Västergötland, at the wedding of HRH Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middleton on April 29, 2011.

HRH Prince William of Wales and his fiancée, Catherine Middleton, had their first activities as an engaged couple in Wales, Scotland and Northern-Ireland. Their first activity as an officially engaged couple took place when the couple attended a Christmas charity concert on December 18, 2010, in Norfolk. Click HERE to view the entry on this visit at the official wedding website.

On February 24, 2011, Prince William and Miss Middleton officially named a new lifeboat "Hereford Endeavour." This even took place in Wales. Click HEREto view the entry on this visit at the official wedding website.

On February 25, 201, the couple joined St. Andrews University in celebrating it's St. Andrews University. Prince William has become the Patron of the University of St. Andrews 600th anniversary appeal. The Prince and his fiancée attended a reception at the Principal's house and visited the St. Andrews museum. Click HERE to view the entry on this visit at the official wedding website.

The Prince and Miss Middleon visited City Hall in Belfast, had a meeting with mr Paterson at Hillsborough Castle and attended lunch. After that, the couple visited Youth Action NI .Click HEREto view the entry on this visit at the official wedding website.

3/03/2011

HSH Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Alexander Johannsmann will marry religously on June 18, 2011. The couple married civilly on May 27, 2010, and their first child, a son named Konstantin, was born on July 24, 2010.

The wedding will take place in the Evangelical Church in Bad Berleburg.

The Princess is the youngest daughter of HSH Fürst Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and his wife, née HRH Princess Benedikte of Denmark, the middle sister of the Danish Queen and the older sister of the (former) Greek Queen.

3/01/2011

HRH Princess Lalla Khadija of Morocco, the second child and only daughter of HM King Mohammed and HRH Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco, celebrated her 4th birthday on February 28, 2011. To celebrate this, a picture of the Princess, her parents and her older brother, HRH Crown Prince Moulay Hassan of Morocco, was released.